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9.07.2007

Good mornin', good mooorrnnin', we've slept the whole night through, Good mornin', good mornin' to you....

Isn't it a beautiful morning? I love waking up, a new sun and a soft breeze coming in my window, the arms of the man I love wrapped tight around me, and the soft pitter patter of little feet running toward my room. Nothing makes me happier than the promise of another wonderful day. This morning I woke up at five, to have my shower and alone time. The scripture in my bible study this morning (which is a Beth Moore, I just love her) really spoke to my weary heart and opened me up. Lately I've been feeling so drained, so empty. I've just felt far from God, spiritually void. Well, no more! I love it when I open my bible and BOOM, God just speaks to my heart through his word.

Today's lesson was about the ministries of the Spirit. Two of them really held tight is my mind. The seven ministries were: 1. Conviction (he makes us aware of our sins) 2. Regeneration (He allows us to be born again) 3. Baptism (not the traditional water baptism, but the spiritual baptising in his blood)4. Indwelling (the Spirit enters us)5. Sealing (He seals us against evil)6. Filling (the Spirit fills us up)7. Restraining (He restrains the evil in the world)

The two that really spoke to me were the indwelling and the filling.

The indwelling soothed me. I've been feeling so unworthy lately, swamped in my life, overcome. I've been having niggling doubts that I may feel this way because maybe I've made too many mistakes lately, mistakes that nobody, especially God, could forgive. However, God dwells in you from the time you accept him into your heart, and nothing I or anybody else does can change that. This verse was like balm to my heart: "For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, nor any powers, neither heigth nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:38-39

How comforting a thought, that I will always dwell in the Holy Spirit.

The other was the filling. This is the only one that is dependent on us. All the others God does once we accept him, but "the burden of the filling of the Holy Spirit rests on us. The Holy Spirit is always ready and able to fill the believer, but He will not agree to perform this ministry unless He is in present control of the one He inhabits." (Beth Moore, Living Beyond Yourself). Perhaps the reason I have been so void of the Spirit, so unfilled, is because of my own stubborn ways and lack of yeilding to Him and His plan.

I'm sorry for the sermon (ok, I'm not) so early in the morning, but this really spoke to me, and I felt I must share!